The Truth Will Out
by Skye Coulson
Summary: In this story, Harry's just a regular wizard and Bella is instead the "Girl Who Lived".  She hides her powers from Carlisle until they are attacked by a dementor.
1. Bella's Confession

**The Truth Will Out**

**Disclaimer:**

I own nothing! As always.

**Rating:**

T (PG-13)

**Genre:**

Romance/Drama (and, you know me, by now...I can't resist throwing a touch of angst into the mix... ;) )

**Pairing:**

Carlisle/Bella

**Author's Note:**

This is a Twilight/Harry Potter crossover. For the sake of this story, please assume Harry is just a regular wizard and that Bella is the "Girl Who Lived". Don't ask. I had a crazy dream with this and had to do something with it.

Bella's Confession

"I HAVE RISKED _EVERYTHING_, YOUR VERY _LIFE_ TO TELL YOU EVERYTHING ABOUT ME!" Carlisle is deeply hurt with my secrecy, I can tell. And, I can't honestly say that I blame him, really. I disappear-without warning-for nine months out of the year for 'school' and now that he wants an explanation, I refuse to give him one. I hate lying to anyone. But, lying to Carlisle is the hardest thing I will ever have to do. Even dealing with Voldemort is easier than lying to the one man I love more than anything. But, what Carlisle doesn't realize is that the less he knows about me, the more I will be able to protect him. I just _know _Voldemort's gotta be itching to get his hands on Carlisle. I know he would use Carlisle against me in a heartbeat. The damage Carlisle could do under, even the _weakest _Imperious Curse, would be devestating. Even all that aside, once Carlisle came back to his senses, he would hate himself for all the damage he had done under Voldemort's control.

"Carlisle, you don't understand. I _want _to tell you _everything_. Truly, I do! Lying to you kills me! It's _killing _me! I hate it! But, you have to realize that the less you know about me, the better. And, I mean that! No good could come from me telling you my secrets. Not, right now, anyway." Carlisle's face is full of pain and I hate myself. I hate myself for hurting Carlisle this way. "Believe me, Carlisle. There _will _come a time when it _will _be safe for you to know everything-and I mean _EVERYTHING_-about me. But, right now, it is just far too dangerous! I am _NOT _willing to put you in that kind of jeapordy!" I know I've told Carlisle this a million times. But, I keep hoping-not to convince him-but, to convince myself. The truth is that I don't honestly know if I'll survive the final battle. But, I won't let Carlisle worry about that. I can't.

"Bella, I've heard this story from you too many times for me to count!" I don't know how much longer Carlisle will take this from me before he up and leaves me. Honestly, I don't know why he's stayed with me this long. He loves me, and I know that. But, I can't expect him to keep taking this treatment from me.

"I know, Carlisle. And I understand your frustration! Really, I do! But, there are forces at work here that even vampires can't fully appreciate!" I am on the edge of throwing all caution to the wind. If I don't stop now, Carlisle will get all of the answers he thinks he wants. But, even if I _did _tell him, part of me can't help thinking that he wouldn't even believe me anyway. He might just think I was crazy or losing touch with reality. At this point, I don't know which would be worse. Carlisle leaving me because I can't tell him the full truth. Or Carlisle thinking I've lost my mind.

"Bella, please! Let me in, damn it! You were in the same danger of being killed when you learned I was a vampire! All I'm asking is for the same openness that I have shown you! I just want you show me the same openness!" Carlisle's shaking. I can see a storm of emotion in his liquid gold eyes. "Bella, I love you! But, I can't..." Carlisle trails off as the room suddenly grows ice cold.

I see the frost forming on the window and Carlisle and I both see our breaths the same as on a cold winter day. Carlisle is confused, but, I know instantly what is going on. I can also see a dark, menacing, hooded figure hovering outside the window directly behind Carlisle. He must have seen me staring out the window, as Carlisle swiftly moved in front of me. His body immediately takes on a defensive stance even though _I _know Carlisle has no idea what he's up against.

Just then, the window in front of us shattered and the hooded figure entered the room, stopping just in front of Carlisle. I can't take this anymore. Carlisle may be right. Maybe vampires _don't _have souls. In which case the dementor in front us would have no effect on Carlisle. But, that's a big 'maybe'. It's not a chance I'm willing to take. I silently whip out my wand and-before Carlisle can stop me-shout "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

Then, a blinding white light exuded from the tip of my wand and began to take on the form of a wolf. The wolf then charged at the dementor, chasing it out the window. Before I knew it, the dementor and the wolf are both gone from the house.

Carlisle stands in front of me, his back toward me, just stunned for a moment. Then, he slowly turned to face me. For a moment, he just stares into my eyes. Looking into his golden orbs, I can clearly see a question in them. Finally, he speaks that question aloud.

"Bella...What the _HELL _was _that_?" Carlisle's eyes are pleading with me. For a moment, I can't speak. I simply stare into his impossibly beautiful eyes. I'm searching for the words. After the dementor attack, I know I can't hide this from Carlisle any longer. Now, I can clearly see that Carlisle is in danger whether he knows I'm a witch or not. My defensive walls have crumbled.

With a heavy sigh, I turn away from Carlisle. I don't want to see his face if his reaction is less than favorable. I place my fist against the opposite wall and lean my head against my fist. "I'm a witch." I say softly to the wall. Soft as it was spoken, I know full well that Carlisle can still hear me.

He's silent. Carlisle is silent for far too long for my comfort. Finally, I can't take it anymore. I slowly turn to face him. His face is...calculating. It appears as though he's simply processing the information I've just given him. "That's it?" It's a simple question. But, I can tell that Carlisle has more to say. So, I remain quiet and allow him to finish. "That's what you've been hiding?"

I slowly approach him and feel slightly relieved that he's not backing away. "Carlisle. I thought that I was protecting you by not telling you. You see, the thing is...I'm not _just _a witch...I'm somewhat of a...celebrity, if you will, in the wizarding world." Carlisle's face takes on an expression of interest. I feel as though he believes me and just genuinely wants to hear more of the story. "Well...in the wizarding world...I'm known as 'The Girl Who Lived'." I pause at this time to allow for any questions that Carlisle may have for me.

"'The Girl Who Lived'?" He repeats. "Why do they call you that?" At this point, I'm feeling much better. I know, now, that Carlisle believes me. I move to sit on the couch and gesture for him to follow.

With a smirk, I explain. "I know vampires are perfectly comfortable being on their feet 24/7, but...I'm a witch...Not a vampire. And this is a fairly complex story." A small smile on his face, Carlisle finally joined me on the sofa.

"Okay...Well, it actually all goes back to when I was just an infant...No more than a year old." I begin. Carlisle nods for me to go on. "Well, first of all, Charlie Swan isn't my biological father. My birth parents were murdered when-like I said-I was no more than a year old." Carlisle is horrified at the thought of any human being murdered but remains silent and patiently waits for me to continue. "Well, my parents were murdered by a dark wizard who goes by the name Lord Voldemort. He's the darkest wizard in the history of magic. And, the night he murdered my parents, he tried to kill me as well. But, what made me such a celebrity today is that...His attempt at killing me failed. For reasons that are still a mystery to this day, I survived." Pulling my hair back, I go on. "I know I've always told everyone I got this scar in a car accident. Well...that was a lie." Carlisle nods for me to continue. "Voldemort gave me this scar the night he tried to kill me." I begin to continue, but, I sense that Carlisle has a question for me.

I nod for Carlisle to interject. "Forgive me, Bella, but...What's so special about you surving his murder attempt? I mean, yes, I am eternally grateful that you did, in deed survive...But...People survive murder attempts everyday. Why was this one instance so unique?" I understand Carlisle's confusion.

"Well, you see, Carlisle...What makes this particular instance so unique is that-at the time-if Voldemort wanted you dead, you were dead. I am the _only _one-witch or wizard-to ever survive one of his attacks. No one else ever managed to survive, but, I did." At least my _worst _nightmare wasn't coming true. At least Carlisle did believe me and didn't think I was crazy.

"But what I still don't understand is why you thought you were protecting me by hiding this from me. Why couldn't you just tell me about this in the beginning?" Carlisle wasn't angry. He wasn't even as hurt as he had been, before. Now, he was more curious than anything else. This I could work with. I can deal with curiosity.

"Well...I am _technically _supposed to hide the existence of witches and wizards from muggles-" I cut off when I saw a strange puzzled look on Carlisle's face. I realized the word 'muggles' would mean absolutely nothing to him. "Sorry...'muggles' are non-magical people...Like you." As Carlisle nodded his understanding, I pressed onward with my explanation. "I am _technically _supposed to hide our existance from muggles-basically like vampires are required to hide their existance from humans-that wasn't the biggest reason." With a deep breath, I continued. "You see, Carlisle...I was...terrified that Voldemort would try to use you to get to me. I don't know, I was probably just being foolish...But, I thought that if I could keep you in the dark about me, that I could protect you from him. But, after that dementor attack, I realize that I can't protect you from him, afterall."

I hang my head in shame. All of this is entirely my fault. I should never have gotten him into this. I love him, but, I can't help wondering if he would be better off with someone else. A muggle, like him. But, then he wraps his arm around me.

"Bella...Don't blame yourself. None of this is your fault." Even though I know he can't read my mind, it is almost a little eerie. I was about to respond when an owl came barreling through the open window, dropping an envelope in front of me before turning and exiting through the same window. "What was that?"

A smirk on my face, I explain "The wizarding world is far less technologically evolved than the muggle world. We use owls to send mail back and forth and we do our homework with quills and parchment paper. The hallways of Hogwarts-my school-are lit with torches." But, my amusement is short lived as the envelope opens the flap and begins scolding me rather harshly.

"Dear Miss Swan. At six twenty-three this evening, you produced a patronus charm in the presence of a muggle. As a clear violation of the Decree For the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Wizardry, you are hereby expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Hoping you are well...Mafelda Hoffmegle." Finishing the lecture, the envelope closed the flap and tore itself to pieces in front of Carlisle and I both. After processing the information given to me, I draw my knees to my chest. I can't believe they would expell me for doing what I had to do to protect not only myself, but, Carlisle as well. I can feel my heart shatter at the thought of never returning to Hogwarts.


	2. Poll

**The Truth Will Out**

The Reader's Choice Poll

Attention:

I've had an idea to make my new story, "The Truth Will Out", a little more interesting. I've decided to throw in a love triangle...of sorts. I thought it would be interesting to see one of the _Harry Potter _characters in love with Bella. Don't worry, Bella/Carlisle fans, Bella's not gonna leave Carlisle. I just thought this would make the story more interesting. But, I can't settle on a _Harry Potter _character to give her...Here are your choices.

1. Harry Potter

2. Cedric Diggory

3. Neville Longbottom

4. Ronald Weasley

5. Fred Weasley

6. George Weasley

I _refuse _pair her with _any _Slytherin! Other than that, those are your choices, listed above. Just post a review with your choice.


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